Tag Archives: goals

This is the map of all the countries I’ve been to. You can make your own here. So far, I’ve only been to the US, Canada, China, France, Italy, and Spain. I’ve been to the airports of Japan and Britain, but I can’t count that as actually having visited these countries. Having visited Europe earlier this year, I’ve made it my goal in life to visit as many countries in the world as I can. I think it is a great thing to travel widely and meet lots of different people. Once I go to Korea in the fall, I can officially update my map and paint Korea red! I would prefer to have a page of a map of countries visited that I can update frequently, but I haven’t found such a feature online yet. If you do, please link me!

I’d like to credit Chris Guillebeau for inspiring me to have a goal of traveling widely in my lifetime, hopefully when I’m still young. I would hate to be one of those old geysers in their 7os and 80s going, “Oh crap! Where did my youth go? I was supposed to travel all over the world!” and then succumb to arthritis or some other physical ailment and not be able to do all that I wanted to do when I was younger (and more agile). Plus, when you’re younger, you’re still more impressionable and less jaded. I don’t want to travel as a totally cynical and judgmental person. That is not to say in any way that I’m not already jaded, which I am, but at least I still have time on my side. Not everyone can say that.

I’m going to say that this blog will not only be a blog to chronicle my Korea experiences, but as a wider platform to express my feelings about world culture, politics, society, and traveling. I’ve long had an international outlook, and I think this trip will just be the tip of the iceberg, similar to my Europe trip.

When I go to Korea this fall, I hope to learn a lot and be able to communicate well with Korean locals – and dare I wish it – to become good friends with Koreans. I’ve heard from various sources that native Koreans aren’t too friendly to foreigners, but I hope to be the exception. I’m still young and friendly, and I want to do my best to make a good impression on Korea. Soon I’ll be embarking on my journey! I might make another entry or two before I go – probably one on the fear of flying, from which I suffer. Well, more on that later!

Bucket List in Seoul

Stay out until 5:30 AM, when the subway reopensAttend the KoYon Jeon (고연전)
Go to Namsan Tower
Try every coffee shop chain in Seoul
Go to the Han River Successfully bargain in KoreanHave a conversation only in KoreanGo to a LanguageCastmeetingGo to a music program pre-recordingAttend a live music programRide a rented bike at Seoul Forest/YeoidoCome within arms-length distance of a kpop star :)Go to Seoul Color ParkGo to Heyri Art Valley